Royally Tripping

Chapter Seven

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"I've changed my mind," Harry said after unrecognized moments of sheer tension and fear, he turned but all that he could see was the broad and clothed chest in front of him. He looked up and saw Bill smiling down at him.

"Don't look at me like that," Harry said biting his bottom lip and feeling guilty already, they'd kept their secret for so long, well months really, but how was he supposed to tell everyone?

"We've got to do this," Harry shook his head and lifted his hands so that they rested on Bill's solid front.

"We can just run away? Sod school, and the Ministry, and the War, and… everyone," the messy haired teen said peeking out from under his bangs and glasses to stare imploringly at the red head who had slowly eased Harry away from the door while simultaneously wrapping his arms around him.

"They're our family. We can't leave them though, can we?" Harry sighed and eased himself further into Bill's arms. He dropped his head on the man's chest and moved his arms under Bill's to wrap him in a hug, seeking comfort mostly for himself.

"It was hard enough telling Ron. Now I've got to tell everyone," Harry heard Bill chuckle slightly, and he could hear it vibrate through Bill's chest, comforting him somehow. But not for long as aggravation at the laughing man hit him, Harry felt the sudden urge to bite the curse-breaking Weasley.

"And what's funny?" he said lifting his head to give Bill a nasty sort of glare, though it was a lot weaker than he'd meant it to be.

"You. Being afraid of a room full of Weasley's," Bill shrugged his shoulders and he smiled the way that always made Harry feel like his legs had totally given up on the concept of standing.

"You've faced Voldemort I don't know how many times, we've all lost count, and you're afraid of speaking to my family. Your family," Bill leaned down and pressed a small chaste kiss on the top of Harry's head.

Harry closed his eyes and gripped onto the back of Bill's dark brown tee-shirt, "I still don't think it's funny. What if they hate us? Hate me? They're all I've got left," Harry felt the arms around him tighten.

"You've got me," it sounded so final, and absolute. So strong. Harry only wished he could be like Bill now. How wasn't he nervous to come out to his entire family, and tell them that he was not only gay but that he loved Harry Potter?

Harry knew the Wizarding community was very open, extremely open actually (well the majority of it at least). And age was hardly a factor with how long most wizards lived. But it was hard for Harry to digest, and to accept. How would Sirius take it? Remus? Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? His stomach churned uncomfortably.

"Besides, I think it would be a little hard for Sirius to hate you…Or my Mum. I think she loves you more than she does me," Bill said managing a laugh, Harry even cracked a smile. But the nervousness eating at him was hardly placated.

"We'll see," Harry said as he finally lifted his head to look up at Bill. He looked so handsome, confident, and calm. Harry couldn't help but wish that he were at least anything like that at the moment. Bill let his hands fall from Harry's side but he immediately took Harry's hand into his own.

"We'll be fine, Harry. Either way you won't lose me, and I won't let you go," Harry felt a tingle rise up his spine and he finally really smiled. Bill always loved it the most when Harry smiled.

"Plus, I think besides Ron and Hermione, Ginny and Charlie know. And then of course Fred and George are as sneaky as hell, and Remus is more perceptive than anyone gives him credit for. Everyone but Mum, Dad, and Sirius I think at least have an idea about us," Harry remembered the looks that Fred and George had passed him earlier in the week when they'd been in the hospital waiting on Mr. Weasley before he was released after the snake bite in the Ministry.

They did look like they wanted to ask him something after Bill had left the room, they looked like they knew something was up. He was just thankful they hadn't said anything to him while their parents were still around, or after even.

Harry gave Bill's hand a squeeze, "I'm sorry Percy isn't here," Bill grimaced for a moment but the moment passed soon. He smiled down at Harry and then leaned in for a quick kiss.

"He's a Weasley no matter what anyone else says. And trust me, they never stay far from home for too long," Harry bit his bottom lip once again and tried to find that Gryffindor courage he was known for. Why had it suddenly left him?

"You ready?" Harry gave a nod of his head and took the small few steps that led them to the shut door to the small and dusty second, and cozier, living room of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

Harry looked down at Bill's hand holding his, he could see an old scar on his hand in the dimly lit hallway. He wanted to remember to ask Bill later where he'd gotten it, it was small and jagged, and at least while thinking about it, he didn't have to think about the waiting people inside the room.

Bill reached for the door handle and not even with one last glance back at Harry he pushed it open, smiling as if this didn't phase him in the least. Harry drew at least a little strength from that, so that he too came into the room, nervous still but at least looking somewhat human again.

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When he and Bill had walked into the room holding hands, at first no one noticed really, but it didn't take long until they all did. Harry thought that Remus was the first to notice, so before anyone could start asking questions Harry felt himself give in.

It had been like therapy, they hadn't been together long but Harry hated lying. Especially to these people. The most important people in his life. He had stomped on his fear halfway through spilling the truth, Bill had been there beside him a solid and strong constant source of support. Bill had given details here and there, contributed to the spilling of their guts- as Bill had liked to call it- and he'd given his half of some of Harry's stories.

By the end of this all Harry had watched all of them for their respective reactions to the news. Ron, who he had looked at the most during all of this, had his arm draped around the back of the couch with a smirk on his face, proud of Harry.

Hermione was sitting under Ron's arm, though it wasn't touching her really, he noticed though that she leaned into him. She kept smiling at the two of them like they had freed all the house-elves from their slavery or something heroic like that. It almost made Harry want to blush and hide behind Bill, which he'd had the urge to do more than once.

Fred and George who had Ginny sitting in between them were sitting on one of the small love-seats, Ginny looked absolutely shocked. Bill had been wrong about her knowing the truth, apparently. But Fred and George looked much like Ron did, only they looked like they' had a bet on Harry and Bill and each had made profits. They'd even high-fived one another.

Harry watched as Charlie, who sat on a hard backed chair by the warm fire, sent them both smiles that both warmed Harry and encouraged him to keep speaking. He'd have to remember to thank Charlie later, he was sure that Bill had already made plans like it from the way he was constantly smiling over at his little brother.

"Well, I certainly…I must say," Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and then gulped in a little air, he didn't finish his words though. Harry forced himself to look over at Sirius. He was leaning on Remus like his life depended on it, he looked totally out of it. Sirius looked older than Harry had ever seen him look before, with the exception of when he'd first seen him out of Azkaban.

"Sirius?" Harry asked, but the man didn't seem to hear him. Remus sent Harry a small smile, and tried to push Sirius off his shoulder to sit him up right again. Harry bit his lip now more nervous than he had been before, Bill seemed to sense it so he held on a little tighter to Harry's hand in silent comfort.

He hardly had the courage left to look back up at Mrs. Weasley. He hadn't dared to before, and even if he'd looked in her general direction before he'd looked over her shoulder at the edge of the fireplace behind her.

"You'll certainly have to adopt then," Harry felt his entire body freeze at the woman's words. The entire room did, Harry couldn't even hear the fire crackling anymore, or the cold wind beating on the old window panes outside.

Harry's mouth open and closed a few times, his throat seemed to have clenched up, he was finding it hard to even contemplate speaking. A blush spread out across his face and moved down his neck to hide under his shirt. Adopt?

Bill's hand had gone slack in his hand, the taller male even seemed to waver a bit on his feet.

"Molly?" Mr. Weasley said with wide eyes as he turned to his wife, she waved a hand in his face and sent everyone else in the room an callous look. She gripped her dress at the knees and pulled herself out of the second love-seat where she and Mr. Weasley had been sitting before she stood up.

"What? I still expect grandchildren. Not now of course," she said in a flippant sort of way, like she was speaking about the weather or something everyday like that. She straightened her dress and then made her way over to Sirius with a casual and yet somehow determined look on her face.

She sent Harry and Bill each her motherly smile that, at this moment, honestly frightened Harry, before she walked over to the main couch where Remus and Sirius were sitting near Ron and Hermione.

"Right, you great useless lump of a…" the last words were grumbled (and probably for the best) as she reached down and slipped her hands under Sirius's armpits before giving a great grunt of effort before she succeeded in what Remus had not. She lifted Sirius to sit up straight on the couch again.

Mrs. Weasley tapped the side of his face with her hand and started speaking to the grown man in harsh and whispered tones like he was a child while everyone, still shocked by what she'd said sat staring at her.

"He's your godson, now bloody talk to him," she said fiercely to dog animagus. When he didn't move she lifted a hand into the air, "Always got to be tough love with you doesn't it?" she sighed but she swung her hand back and popped him on the side of his head. Hard enough to where everyone in the room heard the thunk of her hand hitting his skull.

"Oi! What was that for, you bloody woman?" Sirius growled as he snapped out of it, he immediately lifted a hand to cradle the side of his injured head. He stuck his bottom lip out in an angry pout that Molly merely 'tut-ed' at.

Though he suddenly seemed to realize why he had practically fallen into a catatonic state in the first place. His face went red and he stood from the couch in one quick and grand movement. Molly had already moved to sit back down so there wasn't anything she could have done to stop him.

"What in the name of Merlin's balls did you do to my godson?" he raged at Bill swinging his arms around as he stamped a foot on the carpeted floors. Harry should have been many things at this moment: scared, frightened, hurt, angry. But he couldn't be, not when Sirius looked so utterly ridiculous. Though Bill didn't seem to see it that way.

It was apparently his turn to finally be nervous. He held onto Harry's hand a little tighter but he didn't back down, "I didn't do-" Sirius narrowed his eyes at Bill and pointed an accusing finger at the eldest Weasley son.

"Weasley, I'm going to tear your throat out and feed it to Kreature for breakfast!" Sirius said viciously, he looked positively rabid. Molly stood up red in the face as well and ready to shout. Ron looked a little frightened, while the twins in complete contrast were already mouthing words to each other grinning, probably betting on who'd win.

Harry suddenly felt nervous, was Sirius really this mad? Would he really hurt Bill? He held a tighter to the older man's hand and stood so that he was almost in front of him. But Bill didn't let him, he moved Harry back behind him so that he could stare down the older man.

"Sirius, really," Harry began to plead, but the man ignored him in favor of opening his mouth to start shouting again. Molly looked ready to explode, but Arthur jumped up to grab onto her hand to try and calm her so she was preoccupied with trying to fight him off, leaving time for Sirius to take a few large steps to Bill.

Charlie looked alarmed for a moment, actually afraid now of what Sirius was going to do. He noticed even Ginny about to stand, but they were both far too slow. A hand reached out and snatched at Sirius's ear. The man gave a great start, and shouted at the sudden twisting of his ear.

"Sirius," Harry tried to stop himself from bursting into laughter. Remus had Sirius by the ear, the man was hunched over trying to alleviate some of his pain, but it only seemed to worsen it.

"You have no right to yell at either of them," Remus had said this in such a certain and clear, yet soft and commanding way that everyone in the room stilled. Sirius even stopped his whining.

"Remus?" Harry asked suddenly uncertain and curious. The werewolf just gave Harry a patient look before turning back to Sirius.

"But I wasn't twenty five years old, and you weren't a ruddy fifth year now were you?" Sirius hissed from where he was now on the floor, on his knees trying to pry Remus's iron-like grip of his ear.

"What?" Harry asked, this time his eyes going wide as he dropped Bill's hand. Sirius froze, he hadn't exactly meant to say that.

"Nothing, Harry. Really," Sirius said forcing his head to turn so that he could smile at Harry. Hermione gasped as it finally came to her, but it only confused Ron further and he sent her a questioning look. Harry ignored it all though, instead he was staring at Sirius like he hadn't actually seen him before in his life.

"You and Remus?" there were several other gasps around the room and Harry even heard Ron shout one of his infamous, 'Blood hell-'s.

"We were going to tell you," Remus said reasonably, "There just hasn't ever been a really good time to sit you down, you know," Harry's eyes moved up to Remus's amber ones, still in shock.

But he suddenly looked angry, "And you were mad at Bill?" Harry said with angry green eyes staring down at Sirius. The man looked guilty but he finally managed to get Remus to let go of his ear so that he could stand properly.

"Momentarily shocked out of my already shaky attempt at sanity, I would say," Sirius offered weakly. He suddenly did feel terrible. He had overacted, but it had only been naturally for him. He was an overprotective hothead, or at least that's what Remus always told him.

Sirius sent Bill an grudgingly apologetic smile, which the red head easily accepted, though he was still a little worried about Harry.

"I could…I don't know what I could do but it wouldn't be very pleasant," Harry said with thinning lips. He had been so afraid of how Sirius would react to all this, him out of everyone else. And he'd shouted at them!

"Harry, you know he didn't mean it," Bill tried, but Harry turned and sent him and glare which caused him to immediately shut his mouth.

"Harry, I'm sorry," Sirius said trying to make up for what he'd done, but Harry didn't want to hear it.

"I'm going to make you sorry! You scared me," Harry said with his eyes seeming to light on fire. Sirius blanched, this situation was oddly familiar to him. He looked at Harry's red and angry face and it suddenly hit him.

"Got his mother's temper," Sirius couldn't help but whisper over his shoulder to Remus who sighed before dropping his head into his hands. Harry's Mum'd had a temper, that was for sure, and he was certain that it wasn't a good thing for Sirius, since Harry had clearly inherited that same temper.

Harry looked taken aback for a moment, his fists unclenched, clenched again and then unclenched as if unsure about what they wanted to do. His eyes opened wide and he blinked owlishly. No one had ever told him that before. Of course they'd all told him he was like his mother, but they hadn't ever said that before.

He couldn't help but let it go. He felt the tension seeping out of him, and the anger leaking out of him like hot water being poured out of a tea cup.

"What?" Sirius stilled and looked back at Harry looking like he was ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

"I said…" he cleared his throat, unsure of his next words, "…that you've got your mother's temper," Harry heard Ron make a startled noise as Hermione grabbed onto his hand nervous. Harry was silent for a moment before he suddenly burst into laughter.

"You great git!" he said between painful gasps of air and continual laughter. Sirius looked more uncertain than before, sure that Harry was taking the piss out of him now. But he couldn't help but loosen up some as Harry's laughter continued.

"I think he's gone completely mental," Ron said weakly before Hermione lifted a hand to smack the back of his head, though she didn't let go of his hand.

Fred gave a nod of his head, "You would know, Ronnie-kins," Ginny gave a snort of laughter, and it wasn't long before the rest of the room laughed a long with them. The entire room, relieved that the tension had finally fled the room like Doby hoping to catch Kreature in the act of stealing.

"You're not mad, then?" Sirius checked. He confirmed to himself this time, in his head that Harry was very much like his mother. Easily angered, but easily amused and defused. That had been his only way to survive back in sixth year and on after she and James had gotten together. Amuse and defuse. Words to live by with any of the Potter's really.

Harry cracked a smile up at Sirius and moved quickly to hug the older man, she whispered up into Sirius's ear, "So long as you aren't," Harry's arms were wrapped tightly around Sirius's neck and his godfather wrapped his arms around Harry's back to hug him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Harry," the Gryffindor gave a nod of his head. He understood what Sirius wanted to say to him. Most people probably wouldn't, but he knew Sirius, through the short time that he had known his godfather he had learned to read him better than almost anyone else.

"You know I won't let anything happen," Harry said trying to comfort his godfather, "Not until I'm older," Sirius gave a nod of his head and he pressed a small kiss to the side of Harry's head. He had been there to see Harry be born, and just a little over 15 years later he was already coming to him with his first, he gulped here, boyfriend.

"A lot older," Sirius amended for Harry, who only smiled.

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A/N: I hope that didn't get too cheesy. I tried really hard! But it came out like it did, and I'm not going to change it. haha And I had to put a little Sirius/Remus in there. I love that pairing.

I hope you decide to review!

-Bloody